


The Sound of Your Voice

by orphan_account



Category: Formula 1 RPF, Formula Renault 3.5 RPF, GP3 RPF
Genre: Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-29
Updated: 2015-11-29
Packaged: 2018-05-04 00:19:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5312567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>August/September 2012, António is racing in a few different series. He's thrown when he meets his new teammate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Sound of Your Voice

**Author's Note:**

> I saw three WSR pictures from when Antóntio and Alex were teammates for 2012 and it led me to think, what if? Of course this is all in my mind.

“If Conor thinks you’re cool, you’re already pretty high in my book. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Alex.” Whenever Antonio drifts while thinking, Alex’s voice and the first words Alex said to him are what he hears. Antonio has always wanted to be one of the cool kids and fit in with everyone else. Duarte, Antonio’s older brother, was supposed to have been better and faster, but somehow Antonio was the one to have done better. Winning where Duarte couldn’t, moving up and continuing to do well. Antonio could tell it still bothered Duarte, but as with anything, all of that would take time.

“Drifting again?” Alex nudges Antonio’s elbow over the coffee table. “Yeah, thinking about things.” Antonio answers back. It had been another long weekend and they were laying on respective couches back at their flat in England. They both were doing well enough in WSR, but Antonio always wanted to do better. Living in an accommodation with anywhere from 2-4 rotating drivers didn’t help either.

“I don’t envy your schedule at all. You’ve got way more traveling and racing to do than me.” Whenever Alex speaks, Antonio has to struggle to listen to what Alex is saying, not just the hypnotic sound of his voice. Antonio didn’t know how important the sound of a person’s voice was until very recently.

“Yeah, I want to push myself in order to prove myself. Even though we’re both the same age, we both know it gets harder to secure a drive if the results aren’t there.” Antonio answers as he drops his cell onto his chest.

“I know we told each other, and wrote it down, but I can’t remember, no races on your birthday this year though, right? I don’t have any on mine.” Alex always liked having parties for other people’s birthdays. “The day after my birthday, but I’m not racing on yours either.” Antonio and Alex had sat down one night over pizza, on their diet free night, to get a general idea of each of their schedules.

“You’re coming to Spa to see Conor, in two and half weeks? I was thinking about the flights and I can get the information for you.” Antonio turns to see more of Alex’s face and is met with a big smile.

“Of course, and I want to see how you do in that series too. I’m going to be so torn. Half of me wants him to beat your ass and the rest of me wants you to beat his. When you talk to them tomorrow, see if you can grab the flight info and we’ll do that tomorrow night. Now, let’s get some food!”

\---------------  
Antonio was nervous. He was nervous because it had been a month without racing in GP3. Sure, he was busy with WSR, but Alex was coming to watch him. Even though Antonio felt Alex was just being nice, and was primarily there for Conor, Antonio still felt so nervous and didn’t want to screw up this weekend; racing or otherwise. He felt like this weekend was going to change a lot of things, but couldn’t say how he knew that, or why he felt that way.

Just as he was about to turn his phone off, before boarding the plane, a text message came in. “Cant wait to see U and Alex!!!!!! Let me know when you guys get here!!!!!!” Sender: Conor Daly. Antonio smiles; Conor was a bit funny, as well as a hard worker. Antonio liked him for those, in spite of him being a little brash at times.

“C’mon dude, turn that thing off.” Alex says as he grabs Antonio’s arm, pulling him towards the boarding desk. Antonio almost gasps because Alex’s hand is so warm, and softer than Antonio expected. He catches himself in time to follow behind Alex. They settle into their seats, get comfortable and take off for Belgium.

Upon arriving in the airport Antonio and Alex immediately see Conor in the middle of the baggage claim. Antonio tries not to be jealous as he sees Conor and Alex give each other a huge hug. Conor only pats him on the back, before looking at Alex again. Antonio tries not to be jealous as he follows them to the taxi line.

“Sorry that we’ve been ignoring you for the past 20 minutes.” Conor says in the taxi, on the way to the hotel. “Alex and I haven’t seen each other in, what, 2 or 3 months?” Conor looks across Antonio at Alex for confirmation. Of course Antonio had to be squashed in-between them.

“Yeah, we try not to be two obnoxious Americans when we’re together, but it’s hard.” Alex laughs as he says this. “I’m surprised you’re not riding with your team Conor,” Alex says to Conor, back across Antonio.

“I had something at home to take care of with my dad, so I had to be on a different flight. I’m surprised you got on the same one as Antonio and his, seeing as you didn’t know you were coming until 2 weeks ago.” Conor smiles at this. Antonio almost suspects that these two had something going on in the past, but he’s scared to start going down that road this early in the weekend.

Before Alex can answer, they arrive at the hotel that most of the team personnel were staying at for the weekend. Antonio was the odd one out this weekend, and was stuck in a room by himself instead of with his team, while Conor had to stick with his team’s room. Which is why Alex was staying with Antonio, on the other bed.

“I’ve got to go do set up for most of tomorrow, are you going to be fine until about 6?” Antonio asks, while getting his computer out of his backpack. “Are you worried about me?” Alex quietly laughs.

Antonio flops onto the hotel bed before answering. “Last weekend was tough in Silverstone. I know it’s nice to have time off, but I don’t want you to over think anything.” Alex had retired in the first race, placing 5th in the second; while Antonio had gotten the fastest lap during the first race, and been the rookie winner in the second race.

Alex flops down on the other bed, his face turned towards Antonio. “I know better results will come, it’s hard waiting for them. I’ll wander around tomorrow go to a museum or something. Don’t worry; I’ll be fine. Text me through out the day, but for sure let me know when you’re heading back here. I know you’ll at least want to change out of team clothes.”

Antonio sighs, “You’re right. I’ll probably have to come back here, I always forget to something at the hotel.” He’d been trying to be better about remembering stuff. This weekend he’d have to be even better, considering how nervous he was, even more with Alex there.

“Before you get too comfortable with your computer, toss me the remote, will you?” Alex grunts as he rolls over. Antonio tosses it and Alex ‘ooofs’ as it hits him in the side. “Let’s find a movie or something.”

\---------------  
Antonio was tired; it’d been a taxing day. He was ready to go to dinner, even though he almost felt like Conor had invited himself. He was struggling; he didn’t want to have to share Alex with Conor, even though they had known each other before Antonio had entered the picture.

“Just left the track. All I need is different jacket, maybe a hat. Be there in 15.” Antonio hit send and put his head back against the headrest in the car that was taking him from the track to the hotel. Alex and him were meeting Conor in the lobby before getting food. It’s not like he disliked Conor, it was more like he liked having all of Alex’s attention on him. Antonio was starting to realize he had a bit of a crush on Alex.

The door whooshed open before Antonio could fully put the keycard in. “How did your day go?” Alex asked, while smiling. Antonio steps inside the room, “Tiring. But there are still some settings from the last race that we’re going to use, in Hungary, where I won both days. So we’re not really going to change much. I’m hoping that tomorrow goes well.”

Antonio tries to go by Alex, but before Antonio can do that, Alex pulls him in for a hug. “I hope you do well tomorrow, Sunday too. I know I don’t tell you often, but I’m proud of you. Now get your jacket and let’s go meet Conor.” Alex slowly lets go and looks down at Antonio, “Knowing him, he’s probably already waiting. I’m surprised he hasn’t texted yet.”

Antonio knows he’s shorter than Alex, but never fully realized how those four inches would make them fit together, like two puzzle pieces. Antonio usually doesn’t like hugging people or getting close to them. Unless he knows them really well. He’s only known Alex for a few months. He smiles as he pulls away from Alex. “Ok, just a minute. I have to find my jacket. I know I packed it at the bottom.”

As he’s pulling his favorite zip up hoodie from his bag, he hears Alex’s phone ding. “Conor says he’s heading down now.” Alex says. “Let’s go before the big boy gets too impatient.”

Antonio turns around and sees that Alex is leaning against the door waiting. Antonio zips up his hoodie and walks towards the door as Alex opens it. “After you,” Alex lets him go through first. Antonio hoped the rest of the night was going to be ok; he didn’t want to feel insecure the rest of the night. He felt like the tone of the weekend depended on how dinner went.

\---------------  
“Sorry I wasn’t talking to you enough earlier.” Conor says to Antonio as Alex is in the bathroom. “Alex and I have known each other for almost 7 years now. We met through a Skip Barber race event. I’m sure you know one or two people like that. When Alex asked me about you I told him that I really looked up to you, because you’re so cool and that first GP3 race really impressed me.” Conor goes to continue, but smiles as Alex sits back down.

“You guys want to go back to the hotel, or what?” Alex asks. “I’m going to go crash, I want to get some good sleep.” Conor answers before Antonio can say anything. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow? You’re in my garage tomorrow, and then Antonio’s on Sunday?” Conor asks as Alex nods his head. The check for dinner is paid, each trying to make sure they paid almost equally.

They end up back at the hotel, splitting up on different floors. “Come here.” Alex wraps his arm around Antonio’s shoulder as they walk down the hall towards the hotel room. “I really enjoyed dinner. I’m really glad my friends are getting along.” Alex drops his arm to open the hotel room door. “Let’s put a movie on and then crash ok? Conor had a good idea.”

Antonio wakes up later, with the both the TV and lights out. He has the end blanket over him, the one that’s usually on the end of hotel beds, and Alex is already asleep in the other bed. He goes to brush his teeth by the light of the night light, the last thing he wanted to do was wake Alex up, even though Alex wasn’t the one racing tomorrow. Taking his jeans off as he walks back to the bed, Antonio wants to leave the thoughts he’s having until the morning.

\---------------  
“That was a really great race, I feel bad for not being in your garage and being able to tell you earlier. I know Conor was trying to show off, but getting seventh was good too.” Alex says in the car that was taking them back to the hotel. “I don’t know if he’s going to want to hang out tonight.”

Antonio was the kind of tired one got after being filled with adrenaline for most of the day. He had gotten second, which was good, but it wasn’t as good as the two first place finishes he had with the team back in Hungary. He wanted as many points as he could get, since things were still close.

The ding of a text message on Alex’s phone breaks the silence. “Do you want to talk a walk, get some food and then watch some stuff in the room? Conor’s going over stuff still with his team and won’t be done until late.” Alex breaks the quiet. “That’d be fine.” Antonio answers as they pay the cab driver. Antonio didn’t have to stay as late, thankfully the team knew he had done everything he could during the race, that Daniel Abt had been better.

After a shower Antonio feels better, still tired, but a satisfied tired. It’s settling in that he gets to spend the night alone with Alex. He hates feeling like that. At the same time, after what Conor and Alex said the night before, he doesn’t feel that bad.

“Ready? I found a cool little restaurant yesterday, while I was out walking around. A place I hadn’t seen the times I was here before.” Alex smiles. Antonio is starting to realize how much he likes it when Alex does that. “Let’s go. How about we get some food in you, instead of walking first?” The conversation is easy, the food was good and Antonio really enjoyed himself. Alex ended up talking most of the meal, telling Antonio about how much he enjoyed the race. “I was really hoping you’d be able to get around Abt, but with only some of the race being completed, and the whole half points thing, I’m still glad you got to where you could.”

“I was surprised too, but he and I have been close for most of the season. At least in racing. I haven’t talked to him that much.” Antonio smiles a little. Daniel seemed nice enough, but he wasn’t Alex. There wasn’t anyone like Alex. “You ready to go then?” Antonio asks. The waitress slips the bill to Alex after he says, “I got this, don’t worry.”

They walk back to the hotel, it being only twenty minutes away. “I know last night I told you I was proud of you, and I really mean that. I didn’t know what to think of you at first. Conor’s words helped. Hearing him talk about this funny, yet very serious Portuguese guy was so interesting.” To Antonio it sounded like Alex was almost surprised at himself for saying this. “Thanks, I still struggle a bit with my confidence. I can get insecure and then get mad at myself for feeling that way.” Antonio sighs, he knew it was something he had to continue to work on.

Alex remains quiet as they ride in the elevator. Antonio bumps into him to get him going. “Can I pick the movie tonight, and I promise to try not to fall asleep on you.” Opening the door, Alex laughs. “It was actually kind of cute. I felt bad for only doing the blanket, but didn’t want to wake you up.”

Antonio is going through his bag, looking for a certain shirt to sleep in, then goes to hook his phone up to charge. He’s surprised to hear, “Would it be weird if I asked if you wanted to sleep in my bed tonight? If you’re not comfortable with that, that’s fine.” It’s something Antonio is relieved to hear. Before he can answer, Alex keeps talking. “Conor and I did a few times, among other things, that I’m not going to go into right now. But of course, if you’re not comfortable, that’s fine.”

Antonio didn’t notice until Alex stops talking that he’s dropped his phone. He picks it up and sets it on the nightstand slowly; he doesn’t want to sound so eager. “I don’t want to be tired for tomorrow, so as long as we’re just sleeping, I’m fine with that.” He also finally notices that Alex is now wearing a tank top and shorts.“You said you wanted to pick something to watch?” Alex asks, breaking the moment. Antonio slowly blinks a few times. “Yeah, can you find something Will Farrell related? I’m fine with any of his stuff.” Antonio half turns, to start changing himself, he’s still a bit shy about his body.

“This fine with you?” Alex asks, while pointing at the TV. Antonio pulls down the hem of shirt and starts to walk over to Alex’s bed. “This seems fine, hopefully I won’t fall asleep on you again.”

Alex pats the other side of his bed and moves to grab the extra blanket. “Come on then.” Antonio slowly gets on the bed, unsure of where to put his limbs. “Its fine Antonio, I’m not going to bite you, unless you say please first.” Alex says as he drapes the blanket halfway over Antonio then getting underneath it himself. “Scoot a little closer.” Antonio moves under Alex’s arm and starts to relax.

It takes Antonio a few minutes to notice how warm and comfortable he is laying next to Alex. It’s really nice. Nice enough for him to get a little closer and lay his head on Alex’s shoulder.About 20 minutes passes before Alex notices that Antonio’s head is getting heavier “You sure you’re not asleep yet?” Alex wants to laugh, but knows Antonio would get mad. Antonio can only muster a mumble, since he’s so warm. “No, but I want to be.”

“Get up for a second, I’ll get you under the heavier blanket.” Alex slowly dislodges his shoulder from around Antonio, while the smaller man blinks and rubs his face before getting up. Alex pulls back the blanket as Antonio moves the pillows into a better position.

Alex shuts off the TV as well as the night table light while Antonio gets comfortable. “You good?” Alex softly asks. “Mmmm,” is the only response Antonio can do the moment. “Good,” Alex says as he scoots into the bed, before wrapping an arm around Antonio, noting that Antonio is thankfully turned towards him.

Antonio sighs into Alex’s chest, knowing he’s going to be happy and warm when he wakes up in the morning. Before completely slipping under Antonio pushes one of his legs between Alex’s. The last thing Antonio feels is Alex’s nose and lips against his forehead.


End file.
